Food and Feeding

Food and Feeding

Breastfeeding

Breastfeeding, the key to good health of mothers and babies, also significantly benefits families, employers, and society. For these reasons, WIC and the American Academy of Pediatrics recommend feeding your baby only breast milk until age 6 months, and breast milk plus solid food from 6 - 12 months and beyond.

The evidence is in, and it says that mothers who receive breastfeeding support from their health care providers prenatally and in the hospital are more likely to reach their breastfeeding goals. Vermont hospitals are teaming up with WIC, VCHIP, the Vermont Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics, and the Vermont Academy of Family Physicians to update their breastfeeding policies and to train staff to Empower Mothers & Nurture Babies. Join us in supporting Health Vermonters right from the start!

Knowledge + Support + Confidence = Success!

Breastfeeding Information for Mothers
Breastfeeding offers advantages for your baby that cannot be matched by any other form of feeding. The benefits of breastfeeding begin from the first moments after your baby’s birth and last for many years. Breastfeeding can be good for you, too. Breastfeeding helps you lose the pregnancy weight after your child is born and lessens your risk of getting breast and ovarian cancer later in life.

Vermont Breastfeeding Resources
The more you know about breastfeeding the easier it will be to meet your breastfeeding goal. Find out more about the breastfeeding resources in your community.

Breastfeeding Friendly Employers
Supporting breastfeeding is good for business. And, in Vermont, it’s the law.
Establishing a worksite lactation program is a win-win for employers and employees. The Vermont Department of Health, with support from the U.S. Office of Health and Human Resources can provide information and assistance to businesses in supporting their breastfeeding employees.

Vermont breastfeeding laws provide protection for women who nurse in public and support breastfeeding women when they return to the workplace. In addition, recent healthcare reform at the federal level put in place break time requirements for employers